The Missing Pot
by ofcourseitsyaoi
Summary: One dreary night at Kong Studios, 2D answers a knock at the door and is bashed over the head and stuffed into a car! One of Gorillaz's arch-nemesis's has made off with the vocalist, and he has some shady demands for 2D's safe return. Will Murdoc do what needs to be done to get his mate back, or is this the end of the line for 2D? Contains coarse language and violence
1. Chapter 1

Hello! I understand that my story may be a little similar to one written by YourRhineStoneEyes, but I assure you, I plan to carry out a very different plot line than theirs. I have informed YourRhineStoneEyes on this matter, so do not fret for I will try my absolute best to not cross any copyright borders :)

Kong Studios was as quiet as ever, except for the occasional moan or howl rattling the shutters. Ghosts meandered meaninglessly through the halls, as they usually did. The graveyard was alive with zombies, trudging through the thick underbrush. The place looked just as it did every day; there was even a slight bit of rainfall to tie together the dreary ensemble.

There was a crack and a hiss as Murdoc opened yet another beer, enjoying his lazy afternoon away from band practice. He tipped it back, guzzling the frothy liquid as if it were water. He was in his old, rusty Winnebago, where he usually spent most of his time when he wanted to be away from the rest of his band mates. Putting the beer down, already more than half empty, he let his hand drift lazily to his V Guitar, plucking it from its stand. He had traded his soul for the magnificent instrument in his younger years, its sleek body shining in the weak light of the vehicle. Gripping the strings of the bass, he strummed a few chords, the sound still as beautiful in his ears as it was when he first had it.

There was a knock at the door of the Winnebago, jolting him out of his mood.

"Oi, who da fuck is bangin' on me door at dis hour?!" Murdoc screeched, putting his precious guitar back into its stand.

"I's me, Stu. We're gonna start practicin' soon, Murdoc, so come outta there." The warbled voice that drifted through the door belonged to the vocalist of the band, 2D.

"It's me fuckin' day off, you sodding bloke!" Murdoc yelled back, profanities bouncing around his hole-riddled head. How dare such an idiotic waste of space come banging on his precious Winny like that? If it weren't for Murdoc hitting him with his van all those years ago, he'd probably still have some working brain cells stuck in his noggin. Both of 2D's eyes had been dented in by the bassist, and if it weren't for that fact, he probably would have thrown the idiot out on his ass a long time ago.

"T'at was yesterday, Murdoc. You're forgettin' fings again," 2D responded, picking at something under one of his fingernails. "Jus' come on out, okay?"

"Awright, awright, jus' sod off already," Murdoc snarled, getting up from his armchair. He pulled on an old T-Shirt, and grabbed his bass once more. He slammed open the door of the Winny, 2D's black empty eyes staring up at him.

"Oh, 'ello there," 2D greeted him, his smile missing several teeth. They had been knocked out back in England, when Murdoc had lost his temper at the poor sap.

"Outta the way, faceache. There better be a beer waitin' fo' me back in ta studio," Murdoc hissed as he walked towards the entrance to Kong, bass in hand. 2D trailed after him like a loyal puppy dog to his master, his black dented eyes focused on his back. They made their way through the maze-like hallways of the enormous building, finally finding their way to the recording studio. Russel and Noodle were already there, fiddling with their instruments.

"So, you finally decide to show up, old man. Sup, D?" Russel greeted them both, sitting at his drum set. 2D nodded in response. Russel was taken to Kong by force, as Murdoc had knocked him out and kidnapped him from the old store he used to work at. His eyes were completely white, as his head swam with the souls of his dead companions. Noodle, on the other hand, had been shipped to the building by mysterious means, not even knowing one word of English. Luckily, 2D and a hired tutor spent time helping her learn the language. Her guitar was slung around her neck, obviously too big for the almost 11-year-old girl. Despite this, she had no problem gripping the strings and playing it masterfully.

"Awright, you bunch o' faceaches, le's get dis over wit," Murdoc sighed, gripping his guitar tightly as they began practicing. They had a tour coming up soon, so there wasn't much rest for the band members. They'd bang out tunes all day, memorizing their parts so thoroughly they could be renounced in their sleep. After that day's practice, everyone's fingers hurt from their instruments.

"Oi, wot's for supper?" 2D whined, peering into the old fridge with a heavy heart, as there was next to nothing in it.

"I don't bloody know, order something for Satan's sake," Murdoc growled, slapping the poor boy on the back of the head as he passed to get another beer. Noodle shouted something at Murdoc in Japanese, expressing her obvious discontent. 2D rubbed at his head absentmindedly, his migraine medication working wonders on the old man's beatings.

"Awright ten, where's the ringer?" Stuart replied, stumbling across the kitchen for the phone. After chattering into the telephone for a few minutes, he turned it off and put it back on the counter. He waddled over to one of the sofas that crowded around the TV, his lanky legs barely fitting into his skinny jeans. He sat down next to Noodle, who climbed into his lap and started feeling the blue ends of his hair. She had always been enormously fascinated with 2D's odd hair color, and would play with it every chance she got. As Stuart had fallen out of a tree and landed on his head during his youth, his hair had fallen out and grown back as the stunning shade of blue it was today. Everyone swore it changed shades sometimes.

"Whadja even order, anyways?" Murdoc asked, taking a sip of yet another beer. There was rarely a time where he didn't have some alcoholic beverage in his spider-like grip.

"Oh, jus' some pizza," 2D mumbled, staring into space as he usually did.

"Shit, man, pizza takes fucking forever to get to Kong," Russel whined, slumping back into the leather sofa, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, i's not my fault tat we live in ta mittle of nowhere…" 2D whined, bowing his head down so that Noodle could grab at his hair easier.

"Ey, I got dis place for fucking zero euros, cut me some slack," Murdoc grumbled, taking another swig from his drink. "Go do yer bellyachin' somewhere else."

About an hour later, there was the expected knock at the door, the savior of Gorillaz delivering nourishment.

"Oh, mus' be ta pizza," 2D chattered excitedly, moving Noodle from his lap and getting up from the couch. He dodged past some specters that were absentmindedly floating around, grabbing the doorknob of the enormous front door. He swung it open, and lo and behold, there was the pizza man. He had a face of freckles with sandy blonde hair, and looked no older than 17.

"Cheers, mate, jus' lemme get my wallet-"2D began, but was cut off by the Pizza man.

"Y-you ordered a lot of p-pizzas, so most of them are in the c-car... I'll need your help br-bringing them in," the man stuttered, shaking like a leaf in the dreary front walkway.

"Oh, 'course. Mind ya step, though, there's a bunch'a zombies out in th' yard," 2D responded, leading the Pizza man to the front gate where his car was parked. The interior was lit, a tall stack of pizza boxes piled in the back. _Did I really order t'at many?_ 2D wondered, as the man opened the back door. 2D bent down and picked up half the stack, the weight almost tipping him into the back of the car.

"Oof…t'ese are kinda h-heavy…" 2D mumbled, straightening his back. He was about to turn around and head back to the house, but the action was interrupted as a large blunt object came crashing down on 2D's head, knocking him unconscious. He let out a cry, slumping forward into the pizzas. The ones he had been holding fell out of his limp arms, now drenched in rain water and mud on the ground. The pizza boy leaned into the back of the car, wrapping his arms around 2D's midsection.

He hoisted the limp vocalist into the air, grunting as he stumbled around to the back of the car. He fumbled in his pockets for his keys, one hand keeping a firm grip on 2D. After unlocking the trunk, he flung the boy into the dusty compartment, blood dripping down from his forehead. He was bleeding badly, as the attacker's shirt and the outside of the car had spots of blood here and there. 2D moaned softly as his long legs were bent and stuffed into the trunk, followed by darkness as the door was slammed downwards. The pizza boy locked the trunk again, wiping sweat from his brow. He pulled out his cell phone, the light from the screen the only illumination in the dark rainy night. He sent a quick text, then climbed into the driver's seat, speeding off down the muddy road away from Kong.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oi, wot happened to that blubbering faceache?" Murdoc grumbled a good 10 minutes after 2D had gotten up to answer the door. "Did he get 'imself lost?"

"It doesn't take this long to get goddamn food from someone at the door. Noodle, go see what he's up to," Russel retorted, not moving from the sofa. He lifted his arms and put them behind his head, shooting Noodle a look that said _get moving_. She mumbled something in Japanese before hopping off of the couch, meandering down the hallway towards the front door.

She arrived at the grand entryway, the absence of 2D startling, yet relatively expected.

"He not here!" she called back, a loud groan returning from the living room. Along with that, there was the sound of a smashing bottle.

"That blubbering sod! I shoulda knew he got 'imself lost around 'ere, bein' the bumbling idjiot he is," Murdoc hissed under his breath as he got up off of his armchair and joined Noodle in the front entryway.

"Where do you think he go?" Noodle chattered, placing a finger on her bottom lip, the seeds of worry evident on her face. Russel followed in soon after, scratching his head in confusion. It wasn't the first time 2D had gone missing, but it seemed strange that he'd gotten sidetracked on his way to getting the pizza.

"Oh, calm down, th' lot o' ye. He's prob'ly out there playin' wit the zombies, knowin' him," Murdoc sighed, poking his head out the front door and examining the darkness. Nothing but a light fog could be seen, the front yard completely obscured. Only a faint moan escaped the darkness.

"Yo, D!" Russel called out the door, the only response the sound of crows startled from their trees, cackling like mad. "Come on, old man, let's go out and look for him."

"I swear to fuckin' satan, if he's flown the bloody coop again, I'll nail 'im to a fuckin' wall," Murdoc hissed, hiking his pants up and walking out towards the yard. The thick bushes obscured the path, tripping their feet as they searched. The mud was as thick as molasses, and the rain didn't help Murdoc's awful mood. Not only was the chill of the night sobering him from his blissful buzz, but it was one of the rare times he was actually hungry and the blubbering sod had screwed it up. Murdoc hissed obscenities throughout the next 20 minutes as they all covered the foregrounds.

"Where is 2D?!" Noodle exclaimed after returning to the front door unsuccessful. The rest of them had shown up as well, just as unlucky.

"Now, now, jus' calm down ye brat, he couldn've jus' _wandered off_," Murdoc groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. He should have taken some of 2D's medication earlier. That stuff worked wonders.

"People don't just disappear, old man, now _where is he?_" Russel growled sternly. His blank eyes, as unreadable as they were, looked quite angry - but worrisome, as well.

"Like I'D know where the idjiot went! I dun keep tabs on 'im wherever he goes, ya know," Murdoc squealed, his temper becoming more and more volatile. "Why dun we jus' go an' check the front gates already?! I's the only place left."

Russel and Noodle nodded in agreement. Russel bent down low, inviting Noodle to climb onto his back. The front gates had a steep walkway, so she could easily slip and fall in the mud. "Let's just hurry up, I'm fucking starving to death," Russel growled, Noodle grunting in displeasure.

They all walked down the front walkway, the rain seemingly getting stronger and stronger the farther down the hill they went. Finally, they were able to see the gleaming metal of the front gates, the iron lazily swinging in the wind.

"I dun' remember leavin' these open..." Murdoc mumbled as he walked through the iron arch. Barely anything could be seen in the dense fog that had enveloped Kong, creating an eerie sense of foreboding. Murdoc walked out into the road a little, crossing his arms against the chill; it was so dark, he almost tripped over something strewn across the road.

"God dammit, me new boots!" Murdoc screeched as he felt a slimy substance coat his new leather boots. As much as he loathed the accursed substance, he knelt down to get a good look.

"Is that...?" Russel began, but was cut off.

"The sodding pizza!" Murdoc bellowed, picking up one of the soaked cardboard boxes. "Now why in th' fuckin' 'ell are the pizzas in the middle of da road?!" He whipped the box back at the concrete, hearing a sticky sound as it smashed into the discarded pizzas.

"Where is 2D?!" Noodle cried out, her anxiety skyrocketing as her hopes of finding him at the gates were crushed. Not only was the pizza he was returning with strewn all over the road, but they still had no idea where he was.

"Hush now, baby girl, we're gonna find him. He probably just got distracted by something," Russel murmured to her, patting Noodle on the head.

"Yeah, real fuckin' likely. You think he jus' all of a sudden dropped the pizzas an' chased somethin' shiny down the road?!" Murdoc hissed sarcastically, gesturing to the soiled pizzas.

"I was _trying_ to be positive for once, you perverted old man, now stop screaming and start thinking; because if we don't find D before the concert comes up, then we're fucking screwed," Russel growled, crossing his arms over his chest. Noodle did the same.

"Awright, awright, now look 'ere you faceaches. I 'ave absolutely no idea where the sod ran off to, but one thing's for fuckin' sure; I'm not gonna stand out 'ere all night cryin' about it. 'e'll come on home when 'e gets some sense in 'is 'ead," Murdoc sighed as he began trekking back up the hill towards Kong.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Muds?! What if he took too many pills again and he's just wandering around out in the cold? What if he passes out in a ditch and downs in rain water, huh? What then, you drunk?" Russel screamed at him, catching him by the back of his shirt.

"I dun bloody know! If it means tat much to ye, then jus' take the goddamn jeep and look for 'im!" Murdoc screamed back, wrestling himself free from Russel's monstrous grip. If there was one thing that terrified him, it was that brute of a drummer. Although Murdoc put on a steel face and a cold exterior, he was actually quite worried for the lad. He didn't wander away often, but when he did they'd find him as far away as different towns.

"You idiot, you're the only one who knows how to drive that goddamn machine," said Russel as he started back up the hill. He grabbed Murdoc once more, this time dragging him back up with him.

"Fine, fine, jus' let me go, you freak!" Murdoc screeched, not even slowing the brute's steps. Eventually he gave up on resisting, willingly walking back up the hill with his band mates. He trailed behind a little, silently contemplating the facts he had gathered. Already, he doubted that 2D had just "wandered off". He suspected something much more sinister was afoot.


	3. Chapter 3

2D was abruptly startled from his restless slumber by the feeling of something dripping onto his forehead. He attempted to open his eyes, but reeled back in pain as a blindingly white light scorched his bloodied retinas, dancing colorful spots seemingly stained to the underside of his eyelids. He bowed his head quickly, feverishly attempting to escape the blinding light, but it persisted no matter how hard he struggled. After his mind had settled, he slowly began opening one eye.

The room was very dark, except for the stupid light 2D was beginning to loathe. He lifted his head slightly, opening his other eye. He was in a sitting position, something cold and metallic digging into his ankles and his wrists, which were locked behind his back.

_Where th' fuck am I?_ 2D pondered, sweating in the blistering heat of the dark room. _Wot about th' pizza?_

"Ah, I see you are awake." A firm voice echoed around the room, interrupting 2D from his dazed recollection. "I was beginning to worry that my…underling…had treated you too inhospitably." There was the sound of loud, clanging footsteps, like a large man going down a metal staircase.

"Who are yew?" 2D began to say, but all that came out was a choked cough. He also noticed that he was incredibly thirsty; his tongue was like sandpaper against the roof of his mouth, the coppery taste of blood lingering on his back teeth. The back of his head began to sting distantly, as if his head was just remembering that it had a gash in it.

"I apologize for the poor arrangements…" snickers cascaded around the room. "We have very little to work with, as you can see." The light disappeared as someone moved in front of it, standing directly in front of 2D. The overhead lights snapped on, illuminating the area around him.

"W-Wot…" 2D managed to cough, craning his head to look up at the tall apparition. A man in a garish pink mask stood before him, a collection of blue feathers sprouting from the top. He was adorned in a satin housecoat with a leopard pattern, as if he had just climbed out of bed. He had a wide, toothy smile and seemed as tall as a building from where 2D was sitting.

"Don't you recognize me? Oh _come on_, you must!" The man chuckled, raising his arms and nodding, the upper platform illuminating to reveal rows upon rows of people. They began cheering wildly, clapping and screaming as if the strange, colorful man were their messiah.

"Uh…" 2D murmured, drawing a blank as the man looked down at him expectantly.

"Jesus Christ, you'd mind as well know nothing!" The man sighed, laughter resonating through the metal building. "Behold, the magnificent Dr. Wurzel, nemesis of the virtual band, Gorillaz! ~" The man called out, the unseen crowd once again cheering and shouting.

_Tis feels like one o' my ol' B-movies…_ 2D groaned in his thoughts, the cheesiness of the situation around him draining his energy. _Jus' wot the fuck 'ave I been dragged into?_ The man seemed to sense his obvious discomfort, chuckling and placing a hand on his own hip.

"Well, I'm quite surprised that you can't seem to recall my identity, as your friend Mr. Niccals knows me…_quite well_," Wurzel chuckled, looking expectantly at his group of lackeys who had materialized out of nowhere, and were now standing behind 2D. They all laughed as expected, but it sounded more and more forced with every round. "I've devoted much of my personal time to absolutely terrorizing the poor drunk. In fact, I've been organizing a devious master plan to steal his precious Winnebago! ~"

He began chuckling madly to himself, but suddenly turned serious. The smile was gone from his face, his maniacal laugh lines seemingly out of place. He kneeled down in front of the azure-haired vocalist, placing a hand on his shoulder so that they were eye level. 2D could swear he could hear a dramatic string orchestra in the background.

"Are you seeing a pattern here, Mr. Tusspot?" Dr. Wurzel murmured, his voice soft and stern at the same time. 2D flinched at the sound of his original last name; his family had always preferred the shortened version, yet 2D could only wonder how this strange man even knew his last name.

"P-Pattern…?" 2D whined, his voice back to its usual high octave. The man's stagnant breath was so debilitating, 2D could barely keep his eyes open. He swore he could see a piece of lettuce stuck in his molars.

"Yes, Stuart, a _pattern_. I have a knack for collecting…precious goods. Especially when those precious goods belong to others, am I right?!" he laughed, the rest of his group laughing with him. 2D couldn't see the other people, but he could hear them shuffling around behind him. He wondered if the pizza boy from before was amongst them.

"Alright, back on topic. Yes, yes, precious goods, ANYWAYS! Right now, my radar has landed on your satanic friend, who seems to have…_many, many precious goods_. His Winnebago, his "El Diablo" bass guitar, his portal to hell- oh! And you too, of course!" Wurzel chuckled, poking 2D's nose playfully.

"M-Me…?" 2D coughed, surprised at the strange man's accusation. He had never considered himself one of Murdoc's precious things; not compared to the guitar he had traded his soul for, or his highly prized love-shack on wheels.

"Why, of course! What would a virtual band be without a vocalist?" Dr. Wurzel chuckled, grinning madly once again. He absentmindedly played with the ends of 2D's hair, tilting his head like a child fascinated with something shiny. "This is going to be a very grand operation, I'll have you know. I've already stolen you away from that putrid sack of flesh; now I only have to wait until the rest of his treasures arrive at my doorstep."

2D was beginning to catch on to what Dr. Wurzel was envisioning, a sense of dread clouding his mind. Not because he'd be used to retrieve the rest of Murdoc's stash, but because he was most likely going to die here, as Murdoc would never give up any of his things.

"Yew do know Muds's never gonna 'and over his Winnie," 2D groaned, glaring up at the colorful masked man. He laughed in response, the way an adult would laugh at a child.

"Oh, Stuart…you'd mind as well just open your eyes. Just think with me here for a sec…what does Murdoc value _most_?" Wurzel said to him condescendingly, as if he didn't expect 2D to understand. He glared at the young boy, patently waiting for his response.

"Er…getting' laid an' wasted?" 2D answered quizzically, tilting his head. He just wanted this delusional line of questioning to end.

"Oh, you're so cute," Wurzel said to him in a high-pitched voice, pinching his cheek playfully. "Despite your cuteness, you are just as incorrect. No, my dear Stuart, Murdoc's main goal in life is to run a successful band. I know, it does sound out of character; but when you think about it, he sold his soul for that bass, did he not? His deal with Satan details that when his band is the most successful, he'll be dragged off to hell. Now here's where you come in, you petulant fool; without Gorillaz's iconic vocalist, the band will fall apart completely! Now, THAT is why I am convinced that you are my little golden ticket to Murdoc's treasure trove! ~" He squealed to himself for a moment, awash in the fantasy he had spun for himself.

"Yew're absolutely bonkers, mate," 2D sighed, shaking his head. He was growing tired of this mindless charade, and his head was _really_ starting to hurt now. He felt a warm liquid trickle down his neck, wincing as his head wound re-opened. He imagined his beautiful bottle of pain medication, but no amount of imagining could stop his head from pounding.

"Oh, I _know_ I am, but that is why I'm so serious about this. If I wasn't serious, I'd just meander into that car park of yours and make off with that Winnebago of his; but as you can see, I have a _plan_. I'm weaving a fail-safe net of protection underneath me and my crew, ensuring my absolute victory. Oh, it gives me goose bumps just thinking about it!" Wurzel gasped, wrapping his arms around himself. "Ohhh, I can only imagine the look on his face…pure agony as he watches me drive around in that putrid vehicle, my feet propped up on the dashboard…mm, I'll need to get a picture of that!"


	4. Chapter 4

It had now been a week since 2D's sudden disappearance. Murdoc had spent long hours of the afternoon puttering around in the jeep while Russel and Noodle had been making posters and asking around. They had scoured the entire area around Kong, with no hide nor hair of him. The only evidence they had to work off of was the strewn pizzas in the front driveway, and a squick of blood in the dirt. This lead to much unrest in the group.

"2D-san was taken!" Noodle had come to the conclusion a few days after he had disappeared. Her eyes had been red with worry, her hair messy and un-kept. The group had spent the day at Kong, planning and mapping out a grid of the surrounding area. Murdoc preferred to do so drunk, which pissed Russel off to no end.

"Oi, oi, oi, quiet down ye brat. Wot make's yew think someone took 'im?" Murdoc hissed, licking the opening of an empty bottle. They had gathered in one of the recreational rooms of Kong, accumulating all of their material onto one pool table for discussion.

"There is no other way. He did not disappear, someone take him!" Noodle choked, her hysteria growing. She had always had a special bond with the azure boy; her heart had been absolutely broken when everything began pointing to kidnap.

"Shhh, babygirl, it'll be alright. We'll find him," Russel cooed to her, scooping her up in his massive arms. She nuzzled her face into his shirt, worn from the hours of deliberating 2D's disappearance.

"Someone took him..." she moaned, her voice muffled. The girl radiated pure agony, and everyone could see it. Murdoc paused with his tongue down the neck of a bottle, staring at the girl. Russel put a hand on her back, growing more and more distraught.

"We'll find him, I promise. Right Murdoc?" Russel said sternly, glaring at the drunken bassist.

"Uhh...oh. Yeah, yeah, 'course we will!" Murdoc chirped, slamming the bottle down on the big table before them. He hiccuped. "Couldn've gone far, 'ell get hungry sooner or later."

"He is not lost! He has been taken!" Noodle exclaimed, hopping off of Russel's lap. "There was blood! And..and the pizzas were all over! He was struggling!" Tears were brimming in her eyes as she yelled, her small frame shaking with unease.

"Well, we don't know that for sure, Noodle. You know D, he just wanders some times. That blood could have been from some animal who got hit by a car," Russel said to her softly. He reached a hand towards her, but she swatted it away. Russel recoiled in surprise as Noodle glared up at him.

"Why no one believe me?! Don't you want him to be home?!" Noodle exclaimed, a fire burning behind her eyes. She had a quiet exterior, but she definitely had something fierce inside her.

"Ya'know, we coul' always check th' *urp* er, security cameras," Murdoc chimed in, molesting a different bottle. The room was silent for a moment as everyone watched him suckle the last few drops of alcohol from the thing.

"You mean to tell me...that Kong...has fucking _security cameras_?!" Russel exploded, getting up from his chair quick as a whip. He swatted the bottle away from Murdoc, smashing his face down into the pool table. "YOU SENILE OLD DRUNK!"

"WATCH TH' FACE! WATCH IT, WATCH IT YEW OAF!" Murdoc squirmed under Russel's enormous hand as Noodle chattered insults in Japanese. Russel grabbed him by his thick mop of hair, almost lifting him off of the ground.

"Where are the tapes to the cameras?" Russel hissed into his ear, his face inches from Murdoc's. His eyes had turned from ghostly white to a more pinkish color as his temper grew red hot.

"Ow, ow, ow, tat 'urts! Lemme go, lemme- aaaargh!" Murdoc screeched as his feet left the ground. He clawed at Russel's hand, but to no avail. "In th' basement! Th' security room is in th' fucking basement!"

Russel dropped him to his knees, storming from the room. Noodle followed after him, still cursing in Japanese. Murdoc smoothed his hair grouchily, grabbing yet another bottle of alcohol and following the others. He joined them at the creaky old elevator, making it just in time to slip into the rusted metal doors. They rode down to the basement in silence.

The elevator "dinged" as they reached the basement of the spooky building. Murdoc was barely able to step out of the decrepit box before Russel had picked him up by the neck. He made a gargling sound, which only tightened Russel's grip. Noodle stared up at the drunken man with crossed arms.

"Where is security room?" Noodle asked sternly. Murdoc narrowed his mis-matched eyes, growing more and more contempt for the two.

"Down th' 'all...to th' right!" Murdoc choked out, barely able to breath let alone talk. Russel dropped him once more, picking up Noodle and walking down the dark dusty hallway. Noodle took her usual position on his back, staring down connecting hallways as apparitions floated from room to room. Murdoc picked himself up from the floor, staring sadly at his spilled alcohol. He growled and cursed, following the two once more.

Russel stopped in front of a room with a dusted iron door. Letters were strewn above, and upon a light dusting, appeared to read "SECURITY". Noodle tightened her hold around Russel's neck, eager to finally find out what had happened to her friend.

Russel wrapped a thick mitt around the rusty doorknob, jiggling it expectantly. It did so appear to be locked.

"Haw haw! Y'see, yew old brute, i's locked on yew!" Murdoc laughed down the hallway, jolly towards the fact that the drummer was inconvenienced. He didn't get another word out before Russel had punched the door in. Not kicked; punched.

Murdoc shut up right quick, rubbing at his neck nervously. The three of them crowded into the small, dusty room, the only illumination being the wall of TV screens, each one showing a different angle of Kong. Noodle extended her little arm to the wall, catching a light switch with her finger. She gasped as she recognised that one overlooked the spot where 2D was last seen.

"Get the tape!" Noodle exclaimed, pointing towards the desired TV. Russel reached up, pushing a button to turn off the camera. He pushed another to eject the old, dusty VHS tape.

"I dunno who does it, but someone seems t' change th' tapes in 'ere. They're changed weekly I think, so that one'll 'ave footage of that night," Murdoc explained, for fear that Russel would grab him around the neck again.

"Alright, let's watch this thing," Russel said, sitting in the single tiny swivel chair of the room. One of the TV's was black, which Russel assumed was the one used to watch tapes over. He popped the rectangular tape into the slot beneath the screen.

The screen lit up as the tape slid in, white noise spewing from the tiny speakers as snow danced on the screen. An image began to form, and eventually the front area of Kong studios was revealed. Russel fast-forwarded through the scenes, watching zombies trudge around at an exaggerated pace.

"There, there!" Noodle exclaimed as the seedy picture of a pizza delivery car pulled into view. Russel stopped fast-forwarding, leaning forward in anticipation. Murdoc struggled around the huge drummer to see the screen.

They watched as the pizza delivery man trudged up to the front door, pizza-less. After about a minute, they immediately recognized the blue-haired singer as he walked down to the car, trailing after the pizza man. Noodle flinched, still slung across Russel's back. He patted her arm reassuringly.

They watched in curiosity as 2D bent down to look in the back of the car; but their curiosity turned to horror as they saw the man attack 2D with a crow-bar. Noodle whimpered as she saw 2D go limp, his beautiful blue hair stained with blood. They watched on as 2D was stuffed into the back of the car, his limbs folding awkwardly in the small space.

"Pause it, pause it!" Noodle demanded. Russel pushed a button on the small TV, freezing the image just as the car began pulling away. "You can see the car number!"

Murdoc squinted his eyes, moving closer to the TV to see the small, yet evident license plate of the car. Russel ejected the tape from the TV, turning it black. Grabbing it, he turned to leave the room struggling to worm his way around various cords and TVs.

"See? He was taken!" Noodle exclaimed triumphantly. Despite this, she had still been shaken by the sight of 2D being attacked.

"That's right, babygirl. Now we have a place to start."


	5. Chapter 5

One again, 2D was in darkness.

The strange, whimsical Dr. Wurzel had left long ago, his seemingly endless crowd of cronies leaving with him. Now he was alone. He had at first felt relief that the horrendously garish man had left his sight, but now he simply felt cold and wet and above all, lovely. He thought of Noodle, and Russel, and Murdoc too, of course. He could only imagine the torment Noodle was experiencing, and he knew Russel would be chomping at the bit to locate the singer. But as for Murdoc...

Stuart sighed emptily and slumped down in his cold, metal chair. His hands were still painfully constricted behind his back, his shoulders growing sore from the strain. Wurzel's words echoed in 2D's head, his high pitched squealing making him wince. Would Murdoc really go through all that trouble just to save his vocalist? 2D shut his blackened eyes, slumping forward. He knew Murdoc better than this creep did. He'd rather spend his day with his tongue shoved down the neck of a bottle, never mind going on a grand adventure to save his comrade.

2D couldn't help but bite his tongue as tears threatened at the edges of his blood-filled eyes. He felt so hungry and cold, and his head hurt like hell. He just wanted to go home; but he was doubtful Murdoc would respond well to Wurzel's maniacal request. He was just a vocalist; people like him are easily replaced.

He suddenly felt hands grabbing his hair, snapping his head upwards. He yelped in surprise as lights flickered on here and there. The face before him was absolutely wretched; scars plagued the mans skin wherever there was an empty space and his teeth looked as if they hadn't been brushed in years. The man smiled toothily, but was roughly pushed aside by a jeweled cane.

"Wakey, wakeeeey!" A familiar voice rang in his head, a jolt of lightning ran through his head as his headache flared up.

"Oi, wot th' flippin' 'ell?!" 2D spat angrily, his head stinging from where the mottled man had grabbed him.

"You've been alone down here for quite some time, so I just came to check up on you!" Dr. Wurzel cooed, stepping into the light. He was dressed in a particularly garish outfit, his neon pink vest stinging 2D's eyes, causing him to squint. His tight leggings were spotted with a leopard print, his bulge very evidently displayed for all to see.

"C'mon mate, put tat thing away..." 2D sneered, adverting his gaze.

"What, are you in middle school?" Dr. Wurzel giggled, blowing the azure man a kiss. "Afraid of catching some _cooties_?" 2D scrunched his nose up as the crowd that seemingly followed him wherever he went chuckled in amusement.

"Jus' go alreaty, I'm fuckin' fine. No need t' check up on me," 2D growled, looking down at the metal floor once again. He felt the ivory tip of Wurzel's cane press against his chin, forcing his head upwards.

"Oh, I'll go alright; once I get what I came down here for, little one." Wurzel snapped his fingers, his silver nail polish glinting in the yellow lighting. One of his followers stepped forth into the light, carrying a rather large object that was wrapped in cloth. Dr. Wurzel plucked it from his grasp, giving the crony his cane. The hunched man bowed back into the crowd.

Wurzel cradled the swaddled object in his arms, as if it were his precious child. "I sent a rather informative letter to that Kong Studios place where you all have been squatting, and I am sickened that I have recieved no sort of response..." Wurzel chattered, stroking his long, bone-y fingers across the clothed object.

2D chuckled lightly. "Tat's cuz we never check th' goddamn mail, yew idjit," he murmured under his breath, and received a quick clip to his ear by one of the cronies. He seemed to dart out of nowhere, quick as a whip.

"Now, now, gentlemen, there's no need to be so rough with our special guest," Wurzel preached melodically. "That is, not at this moment..." he chuckled deviously, a newfound sinister look in his eye. "It seems it is time to send our lovely friend, Murdoc, a bit of an...incentive!" he called out to his followers, causing them to bang the walls and howl in excitement. Dr. Wurzel whipped the cloth off of the item he had been cradling, revealing it to be a rater bulky video camera.

"W-Wot d' yew mean, incentive?" 2D stammered, looking around nervously as half a dozen terrifyingly dressed groupies crawled from the darkness. Each one had some sort of blunt object; bats, crowbars, lead pipes, all sorts of things. Dr. Wurzel hefted the heavy camera up to his shoulder, peering through the lens.

"Alright fellas, let's teach Murdoc that we mean business! Just don't kill him lads, but make a good show of it!" he laughed, his finger languidly pushing a button on the side. A red light flickered on. "Showtime!"

By the time Stuart woke up, it was dark once again. He opened his eyes, having been unconscious for the past hour or so. There was no one but him in the room, and he was once again alone. It took his brain a moment to register that he was severely injured, his body jerking as surges of pain rushed through him. He could feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears, and something warm and sticky had plastered his shirt to his back. He shuffled his feet around a little, hearing the splash of some sort of liquid under his converse shoes. The room stank of copper and he could taste pennies in his mouth.

He groaned as he looked around, wincing as bruised tissue in his neck was strained. His kneecaps felt as if they were in pieces and he could feel that a few of his fingers were broken behind his back. His chest felt cold as his shirt had been torn open, and he could feel something dripping from his forehead. He only had moments to consider the fact that he was still breathing through this living hell before he was plunged back into unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

"Murdoc-san! Russel-san!" Noodle sprinted down the dark, perpetually endless hallways of Kong in search of her friends. She gripped a cream folder in her hands tightly, her fingers caked in mud; she slipped on the smooth linoleum floors, her shoes soaked from the rain. They squeaked comically as she ran.

As she passed a dark, decrepit hallway, a hand shot out from the shadows grabbing her by the back of her shirt. She called out in surprise, but relaxed when she saw it was Russel.

"What you goin' on about, Noodle? You'll wake the dead with that racket," he said to her, dangling her in front of his massive head.

"T-This," she gestured to the package. "It was out on front step! " She held it out to the large man as if he'd know what it was from looking. His eyebrows raised in surprise, as all of their mail came to a small box half a kilometer down the hill. He grabbed the small parcel with one hand as he put Noodle down with the other.

"Hmm…feels like something's inside this thing," Russel deciphered, shaking the envelope and hearing a slightly soggy _fwap fwap fwap_. "C'mon, let's go find Muds."

They strolled down the winding hallways together, Russel using his massive hands to swat away any undead that dare cross his path. Murdoc was found in the kitchen, leaned back on a wooden bar stool as he tuned and strummed his bass guitar. He was humming along with it, trying to find a pitch; he was more out of tune than the guitar.

"Yo Muds, there was a package in front o' the door," Russel reported, holding it up for all to see. Murdoc eyed him with annoyance, looking away as he reached down and took a swig of a bottle by the stool.

"Ah, prob'ly jus' a magazine I ordered a while back," Murdoc murmured, licking the rim of the bottle. "Pretty dir'y one, if yew know wot I mean." He guffawed loudly, turning back to his guitar. Russel reached a foot around the stool, kicking it out from under the slathering drunk. He fell to the ground with a loud _thump_, knocking over the bottle and cracking his head against the wall. He scrambled to salvage whatever alcohol he could, but alas, it was already all over the floor.

"God _dammit_ Russ, wot in the bloody fuck is your problem?!" Murdoc screeched in anger, picking up the bottle sadly and thrusting it towards Russel in remorse as if he would a dead child.

"Get your drunk ass of the floor, you deadbeat, there could be something important in here," Russel responded darkly, his eyebrows furrowing. Murdoc slunk against the walls to the fridge for another beer, the spilt one forgotten.

"Yea, yea, jus' open the bloody fing alreaty," Murdoc growled in contempt, sitting against the fridge as he opened another bottle. He drank from it thirstily, as if the 30 seconds he had spent without alcohol had suckled him dry.

Russel shook his head in frustration before ripping the top of the envelope open. He tried worming his enormous fingers inside the package, but eventually held it open in front of Noodle so she could retrieve what was inside. She pulled out a thin, square case with a disc inside. The case was rather beat up; Noodle ran her fingers along scratches that covered the case. A part of it even had a huge crack in it. She turned it over, where the words "TO MURDOC" were scrawled in messy, red letters.

"Prob'ly some fan sendin' in a royal declaration of love fer me," Murdoc chimed in, chuckling as he knocked the bottle back once more. He braced his arm against the fridge as he got up, putting the bottle on the kitchen table. He swiped the disk from Noodle rather rudely, examining the case. His eyes flashed with curiosity, but remained dark. He didn't have to guess where the disc was from.

"Well go on, go put the dang thing in the DVD player," Russel urged the stumbling man, gesturing to a small TV in the kitchen. There was almost a TV in every room of Kong, yet the kitchen TV was the smallest and lowest in quality.

"Awright, awright, keep yer knickers on," Murdoc spat, lumbering over to the TV. He missed the power button a few times in his drunken stupor, but managed to turn the old thing on after a few tries. He flinched as the screen crackled to life, white noise spilling from the speakers as snow danced on the monitor. He leaned down so that he was eye level with the DVD player, squinting his eyes so that he could see the buttons. After a few curses and another swig of alcohol, he had squished the disc into the small slot and had managed to get it playing. Russel picked up Noodle by the back of the shirt again, placing her in his arms for support. Murdoc leaned apprehensively against the kitchen counter. They all had a good guess of what was on the CD.

The screen was black for several seconds, leading them all to wonder if there was anything on the disc at all. They were about to turn it off, when a sudden image on the monitor startled them all. A freakishly garish man stood before the camera, a feathered mask perched in front of his face.

"Oh, yew 'ave got t' be kiddin' me," Murdoc breathed, leaning forward to get a better view. "Not this asshole again." The others hadn't a single second to look at the drunk quizzically before the man started to speak.

"Hellooooo, helloooo, and _welcome_ to tonight's feature presentation!" Dr. Wurzel laughed heartily, shaking his head. "But before that, please stay tuned for these announcements." He suddenly stopped smiling, and brought the camera closer to his face so that it filled the screen. "Murdoc Niccals…I do hope you are surprised to see me again. It's been oh so long. Unfortunately, we won't be able to have a teary heartfelt reunion like you've imagined in all your wildest dreams, for we have business to discuss!" He smiled lightly. "You have something that I want; and you know what it is, so don't play coy with me. And _now_, I have something _you_ want! Well, by have, I mean stole really, but never mind that. I overestimated you, my dear. I thought you'd spring into action the moment your precious little azure beauty left your side, but I guess you'll need a bit of a _push_ to get you going. So here you are, dear sweet Murdoc. Time for you to get rolling." Wurzel flashed a wide, toothy grin just as the screen went black once more. Murdoc's stomach dropped into his shoes. He knew Dr. Wurzel, and he knew just how far the senile villain would go. Noodle looked up at Russel quizzically who kept his gaze locked on the screen.

It lit up once again, this time to an open metal room. The sound of shouts and cheers burst from the speakers, and in the middle of the room, sat a shivering, disheveled Stuart.

"2D!" Noodle called out, almost leaping from Russel's arms. He held her back with his massive hands, and didn't have a single moment to turn away or cover her eyes as the man behind the camera yelled "Showtime!". The last thing they could see was the painfully frightened look n 2D's distant, black eyes as the swarm of people converged on him. Noodle stared, aghast as she watched them pummel the poor vocalist. She could hear the dreadful _crack_ as they slammed baseball bats into his knees, the cheering and celebrating of the crowd rang in their ears along with Stuart's strangled cries. Eventually they could no longer see him, just a mass of bodies around the huddled object. They could see puddles of blood forming through the attackers' legs, and the legs of 2D's chair rocking from impact after impact. The only sound remaining was Noodle crying softly into Russel's chest as the screen went black.


End file.
